The first is a narrative microhistory of the Early Modern Indian Ocean, using 2,000 pieces of mercantile and family correspondence and other papers stored on an Armenian-freighted ship, the Santa Catharina, seized by the British Navy in the Indian Ocean in 1748 and shipped to London to be presented as “exhibits” for a high stakes trial at the High Court of Admiralty. The book is an attempt to introduce microhistorical work into the largely anonymous and impersonal macrohistorical tradition that has characterized the writing and teaching of global or world history. It will treat the Santa Catharina along with some of the individuals associated with its ill-fated voyage as microhistorical objects for an understanding of early modern globalization in the Indian Ocean arena and tease out from the cargo of letters and other papers stored in the hold of the Santa Catharina the social and economic history of the Indian Ocean in the Early Modern period. Provisional title: The Voyage of the Santa Catharina: A Global Microhistory of the Early Modern Indian Ocean.

My second project is on early modern Armenian history provisionally entitled From Venice and Istanbul to Isfahan and Madras: Explorations in Early Modern Armenian History. My book is an attempt to rethink and (re)conceptualize early modern Armenian history in light of theoretical discussions in world history. It will also be the first scholarly endeavor in Armenian Studies to introduce the world historical periodization scheme of “early modern world” into Armenian Studies and historiography. My project argues that the period from roughly 1500 to 1800 in Armenian history stands out as a remarkably coherent period, one that shares many of the characteristics that world historians in recent decades have identified as the “early modern world.” My book project seeks to study this period by examining the rise in Armenian history of two interconnected transregional networks: a Catholic Armenian missionary network based in San Lazzaro, Venice, and a global mercantile network of Julfan Armenians headquartered in New Julfa, Isfahan, but with nodes and settlements stretching from London to Manila.

In addition, I am also working on an annotated translation of a rare Classical Armenian manuscript history of eighteenth century Mughal India and Bengal entitled Patmut‘iwn Hndustana [History of Hindustan] written by a Julfan merchant named Thomas Khojamalian in 1769 in Gwalior, India.

“Some Notes on a Letter sent by an Armenian Priest in Bengal in 1727,” in Between Paris and Fresno: Armenian Studies in Honor of Dickran Kouymjian, Barlow Der Mugrdechian, ed. (Costa Mesa: Mazda Press: 2008): 379-428

“‘The Salt in a Merchant’s Letter’: The Culture of Julfan Correspondence in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean,” Journal of World History, 19, 2 (2008): 127-188

“The Circulation of Men and Credit: The Role of the Commenda and the Family Firm in Julfan Society,” The Journal of the Social and Economic History of the Orient, 50, 2 (2007): 124-171

“Social Capital, ‘Trust’ and the Role of Networks in Julfan Trade: Informal and Semi-formal Institutions at Work,” Journal of Global History 1, 3 (2006): 383-402

“Trade Diaspora versus Colonial State: Armenian Merchants, the East India Company and the High Court of Admiralty in London, 1748-1752,” Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies 13, 1 (2006): 37-100.

Awards

Recipient of the PEN literary award for the most outstanding first book of the year from UC Press for my book, From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean: The Global Trade Networks of Armenian Merchants from New Julfa (Berkeley: University of California, 2011)

My book was also selected by the Committee of the California World History Library as the first book to appear in the prestigious new series, “Author’s Imprint,” that celebrates and recognizes accomplished works by first-time authors.

PhD. Dissertation chosen as the best dissertation in the humanities at Columbia University in 2007 and awarded “distinguished dissertation” award for 2007-2009 by the Society of Armenian Studies.

Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral fellow in World History at Cornell University, NY, 2009-2010.

Alongside our existing 12 sub-fields, the History Department supports a number of cross-field clusters. The clusters are intended to attract students and faculty to important themes and current in the historical discipline. The clusters will offer new courses, sponsor outside speakers, and convene Department-based workshops and seminars.